Tor

Tor is an encrypted anonymising network that makes it harder to intercept internet communications, or see where communications are coming from or going to.

In order to use the WikiLeaks public submission system as detailed above you can download the Tor Browser Bundle, which is a Firefox-like browser available for Windows, Mac OS X and GNU/Linux and pre-configured to connect using the anonymising system Tor.

Tails

If you are at high risk and you have the capacity to do so, you can also access the submission system through a secure operating system called Tails. Tails is an operating system launched from a USB stick or a DVD that aim to leaves no traces when the computer is shut down after use and automatically routes your internet traffic through Tor. Tails will require you to have either a USB stick or a DVD at least 4GB big and a laptop or desktop computer.

Tips

Our submission system works hard to preserve your anonymity, but we recommend you also take some of your own precautions. Please review these basic guidelines.

1. Contact us if you have specific problems

If you have a very large submission, or a submission with a complex format, or are a high-risk source, please contact us. In our experience it is always possible to find a custom solution for even the most seemingly difficult situations.

2. What computer to use

If the computer you are uploading from could subsequently be audited in an investigation, consider using a computer that is not easily tied to you. Technical users can also use Tails to help ensure you do not leave any records of your submission on the computer.

3. Do not talk about your submission to others

If you have any issues talk to WikiLeaks. We are the global experts in source protection – it is a complex field. Even those who mean well often do not have the experience or expertise to advise properly. This includes other media organisations.

After

1. Do not talk about your submission to others

If you have any issues talk to WikiLeaks. We are the global experts in source protection – it is a complex field. Even those who mean well often do not have the experience or expertise to advise properly. This includes other media organisations.

2. Act normal

If you are a high-risk source, avoid saying anything or doing anything after submitting which might promote suspicion. In particular, you should try to stick to your normal routine and behaviour.

3. Remove traces of your submission

If you are a high-risk source and the computer you prepared your submission on, or uploaded it from, could subsequently be audited in an investigation, we recommend that you format and dispose of the computer hard drive and any other storage media you used.

In particular, hard drives retain data after formatting which may be visible to a digital forensics team and flash media (USB sticks, memory cards and SSD drives) retain data even after a secure erasure. If you used flash media to store sensitive data, it is important to destroy the media.

If you do this and are a high-risk source you should make sure there are no traces of the clean-up, since such traces themselves may draw suspicion.

4. If you face legal action

If a legal action is brought against you as a result of your submission, there are organisations that may help you. The Courage Foundation is an international organisation dedicated to the protection of journalistic sources. You can find more details at https://www.couragefound.org.

Submit documents to WikiLeaks

WikiLeaks publishes documents of political or historical importance that are censored or otherwise suppressed. We specialise in strategic global publishing and large archives.

The following is the address of our secure site where you can anonymously upload your documents to WikiLeaks editors. You can only access this submissions system through Tor. (See our Tor tab for more information.) We also advise you to read our tips for sources before submitting.

wlupld3ptjvsgwqw.onion

Copy this address into your Tor browser. Advanced users, if they wish, can also add a further layer of encryption to their submission using our public PGP key.

If you cannot use Tor, or your submission is very large, or you have specific requirements, WikiLeaks provides several alternative methods. Contact us to discuss how to proceed.

Classified By: Political Chief Natalie E. Brown for reasons 1.4 (b) and
(d)
1. (C/NF) Summary and comment: Parliament voted July 17 to
reduce the number of electoral constituencies from 25 to
five. The vote comes after months of contentious debate on
the issue, which culminated in the Amir's dissolution of
Parliament on May 21. According to one liberal political
analyst, the reform will have an immediate impact on Kuwait's
political dynamics and will change the relationship between
Members of Parliament (MPs) and the Government. One Islamist
MP told Poloff pro-reform MPs would introduce a campaign
finance law and push for passage of anti-corruption measures
when Parliament reconvenes in October. He said they would
also begin working on legislation to permit the establishment
of "political NGOs" as an intermediate step to political
parties.
2. (C/NF) Comment: The passage of a five constituency bill,
only two months after the Amir dissolved Parliament over the
same issue, is a major victory for reformers in Kuwait.
Coming shortly after the Government made another concession
to reformers -- excluding Shyakh Ahmed Al-Fahd and Mohammed
Sharar from the new Cabinet -- it demonstrates the growing
power of political activism in Kuwait. Many Kuwaitis also
interpret the failure of the Government to outline a clear,
consistent policy on this issue as evidence of the weakness
of the country's current leadership and the divisions within
the ruling Al-Sabah family. The challenge for pro-reformers
will be in remaining united and outlining their own vision
for Kuwait now that their primary demands have been met. End
summary and comment.
We Want Five, We Got Five
-------------------------
3. (U) On July 17, Parliament voted 60 to 2 in favor of the
Government's draft bill to reduce the number of electoral
constituencies from 25 to five. The vote follows months of
contentious debate on the issue and is a major victory for
pro-reformers. Pro-reform activists observing the session
broke into loud applause and began singing the national
anthem after the vote. Under the new electoral system, ten
MPs will be elected from each of the five constituencies.
Each voter can vote for up to four separate candidates,
effectively doubling the total number of potential votes and
significantly diminishing the potential for electoral
corruption. In addition, areas outside the boundaries of the
25 constituencies were included in the new five
constituencies, adding more than 30,000 new voters. The
first national elections to be held under this new system are
scheduled for 2010.
4. (SBU) Although they voted for the bill, some MPs
expressed reservations about the geographic and demographic
distribution of the Government's proposal (reftel) and
pledged to introduce amendments to the legislation when
Parliament reconvenes in October. Shi'a MP Saleh Ashour said
he would go even further and introduce a one constituency
proposal, which many pro-reform MPs have argued is the ideal
electoral system. There were some rumors that pro-reform MPs
would collectively resign after the vote to force new
elections under the five constituency system, but this is
highly unlikely. Parliament also unanimously approved a bill
forgiving the interest on loans taken out by retirees against
their pensions, which was previously rejected by the
Government. Parliament is scheduled to meet twice more
before breaking for summer recess until October 31.
A Changing Relationship
-----------------------
5. (C/NF) According to Ahmed Deyain, an astute, liberal
political analyst, the passage of electoral reform
legislation will have an immediate impact on political
dynamics within Parliament. Specifically, it will change the
relationship between MPs and the Government. With so many
more voters per constituency, MPs will no longer be able to
rely solely on their personal, familial, or tribal
connections for political support, Deyain argued.
Consequently, they will be forced to focus more on real
issues and will no longer be as beholden to the Government to
obtain favors for their constituents, he claimed. Even
pro-Government "service deputies" might try to redefine
themselves as nationalists or populists in order to broaden
their appeal to voters. Ultimately, this would reduce the
KUWAIT 00002871 002 OF 002
Government's ability to influence MPs, Deyain said.
The First Step
--------------
6. (C/NF) Electoral reform is the first step towards broader
political reform in Kuwait, Dr. Nasser Al-Sane, a pro-reform
Islamist MP, told Poloff on June 16. Asked about the next
steps, Al-Sane said he hoped Parliament would discuss a
campaign finance law when it reconvened in October. He said
another top priority was implementation of anti-corruption
measures, such as a financial accountability law requiring
all MPs to disclose their personal finances and the creation
of a parliamentary committee to investigate corruption,
specifically the notoriously corrupt allocation of land by
the Municipal Council. He noted, though, that such a
committee would run into a lot of opposition. Al-Sane said
pro-reform MPs were also considering legislation permitting
the establishment of "political NGOs, like those in Bahrain,"
as an intermediate step to political parties. He noted,
however, that this would require close coordination and
consultation with the Government.
7. (U) Bios on the new Members of Parliament are available
on post's classified website.
********************************************* *
For more reporting from Embassy Kuwait, visit:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/?cable s
Visit Kuwait's Classified Website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/
********************************************* *
TUELLER

Raw content

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 002871
SIPDIS
NOFORN
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA/ARP, NSC FOR RAMCHAND, LONDON FOR TSOU, PARIS
FOR ZEYA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/17/2016
TAGS: PGOV, KDEM, KU, FREEDOM AGENDA, NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
SUBJECT: FREEDOM AGENDA: REFORMERS WIN MAJOR VICTORY AS
PARLIAMENT APPROVES FIVE ELECTORAL CONSTITUENCIES
REF: KUWAIT 2821
Classified By: Political Chief Natalie E. Brown for reasons 1.4 (b) and
(d)
1. (C/NF) Summary and comment: Parliament voted July 17 to
reduce the number of electoral constituencies from 25 to
five. The vote comes after months of contentious debate on
the issue, which culminated in the Amir's dissolution of
Parliament on May 21. According to one liberal political
analyst, the reform will have an immediate impact on Kuwait's
political dynamics and will change the relationship between
Members of Parliament (MPs) and the Government. One Islamist
MP told Poloff pro-reform MPs would introduce a campaign
finance law and push for passage of anti-corruption measures
when Parliament reconvenes in October. He said they would
also begin working on legislation to permit the establishment
of "political NGOs" as an intermediate step to political
parties.
2. (C/NF) Comment: The passage of a five constituency bill,
only two months after the Amir dissolved Parliament over the
same issue, is a major victory for reformers in Kuwait.
Coming shortly after the Government made another concession
to reformers -- excluding Shyakh Ahmed Al-Fahd and Mohammed
Sharar from the new Cabinet -- it demonstrates the growing
power of political activism in Kuwait. Many Kuwaitis also
interpret the failure of the Government to outline a clear,
consistent policy on this issue as evidence of the weakness
of the country's current leadership and the divisions within
the ruling Al-Sabah family. The challenge for pro-reformers
will be in remaining united and outlining their own vision
for Kuwait now that their primary demands have been met. End
summary and comment.
We Want Five, We Got Five
-------------------------
3. (U) On July 17, Parliament voted 60 to 2 in favor of the
Government's draft bill to reduce the number of electoral
constituencies from 25 to five. The vote follows months of
contentious debate on the issue and is a major victory for
pro-reformers. Pro-reform activists observing the session
broke into loud applause and began singing the national
anthem after the vote. Under the new electoral system, ten
MPs will be elected from each of the five constituencies.
Each voter can vote for up to four separate candidates,
effectively doubling the total number of potential votes and
significantly diminishing the potential for electoral
corruption. In addition, areas outside the boundaries of the
25 constituencies were included in the new five
constituencies, adding more than 30,000 new voters. The
first national elections to be held under this new system are
scheduled for 2010.
4. (SBU) Although they voted for the bill, some MPs
expressed reservations about the geographic and demographic
distribution of the Government's proposal (reftel) and
pledged to introduce amendments to the legislation when
Parliament reconvenes in October. Shi'a MP Saleh Ashour said
he would go even further and introduce a one constituency
proposal, which many pro-reform MPs have argued is the ideal
electoral system. There were some rumors that pro-reform MPs
would collectively resign after the vote to force new
elections under the five constituency system, but this is
highly unlikely. Parliament also unanimously approved a bill
forgiving the interest on loans taken out by retirees against
their pensions, which was previously rejected by the
Government. Parliament is scheduled to meet twice more
before breaking for summer recess until October 31.
A Changing Relationship
-----------------------
5. (C/NF) According to Ahmed Deyain, an astute, liberal
political analyst, the passage of electoral reform
legislation will have an immediate impact on political
dynamics within Parliament. Specifically, it will change the
relationship between MPs and the Government. With so many
more voters per constituency, MPs will no longer be able to
rely solely on their personal, familial, or tribal
connections for political support, Deyain argued.
Consequently, they will be forced to focus more on real
issues and will no longer be as beholden to the Government to
obtain favors for their constituents, he claimed. Even
pro-Government "service deputies" might try to redefine
themselves as nationalists or populists in order to broaden
their appeal to voters. Ultimately, this would reduce the
KUWAIT 00002871 002 OF 002
Government's ability to influence MPs, Deyain said.
The First Step
--------------
6. (C/NF) Electoral reform is the first step towards broader
political reform in Kuwait, Dr. Nasser Al-Sane, a pro-reform
Islamist MP, told Poloff on June 16. Asked about the next
steps, Al-Sane said he hoped Parliament would discuss a
campaign finance law when it reconvened in October. He said
another top priority was implementation of anti-corruption
measures, such as a financial accountability law requiring
all MPs to disclose their personal finances and the creation
of a parliamentary committee to investigate corruption,
specifically the notoriously corrupt allocation of land by
the Municipal Council. He noted, though, that such a
committee would run into a lot of opposition. Al-Sane said
pro-reform MPs were also considering legislation permitting
the establishment of "political NGOs, like those in Bahrain,"
as an intermediate step to political parties. He noted,
however, that this would require close coordination and
consultation with the Government.
7. (U) Bios on the new Members of Parliament are available
on post's classified website.
********************************************* *
For more reporting from Embassy Kuwait, visit:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/?cable s
Visit Kuwait's Classified Website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/
********************************************* *
TUELLER